Police search for clues in murder

FREMONT -- No arrests have been made in the Nov. 27 murder that claimed the life of a 46-year-old man, but police and town officials remain hopeful someone will come forward with information that will lead them to the alleged killers.

Ricky Holt, the victim of a fatal stabbing, was found bleeding outside of another person's home at 406 S. Sycamore St. Noise from a scuffle roused the resident. During a 911 call, the unidentified resident said he found his friend laying beside his porch.

"There was a lot of noise outside, and we came outside and he's laying right here beside our porch," the caller said. "He's been bleeding and stuff, and he's not moving or anything."

The witness saw two people run from the house where Holt's body was found. An official cause of death is pending, said officials from the North Carolina state medical examiner's office in Chapel Hill.

Members of the Fremont and Pikeville police departments, Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Wayne County Emergency Medical Services responded between 3:30 and 4 a.m. to investigate the crime and to search for suspects.

A motive for the murder has not been established, Fremont police Chief Wayne Schwark said.

Schwark said it is unfortunate that there were no eyewitnesses to the murder, but he encouraged residents who had information about the crime to come forward.

One of the suspects is described as a black female who stands about 5 feet 6 inches tall. She was last seen wearing a white sweater and dark-colored jeans. The other suspect is described as a black male who stands about 6 feet tall. He was last seen wearing dark-colored clothing and a white ball cap.

Holt had a criminal past that included drug possession, assault and armed robbery. No criminal activity since 1998 was noted, according to the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

Schwark said he knew Holt. The police chief said Holt would go out of his way to help a friend.

But, the mystery surrounding Holt's death remains a puzzle.

One resident who lives in the 200 block of South Sycamore Street expressed concern those responsible are still at large.

"I'm a little concerned," said the woman, who declined to be identified. "It kind of scared me."

She said she was concerned, but not surprised by the news. The area where the murder occurred is known for illicit activity, she alleged.

Holt's murder comes just months after police and several citizens formed the Fremont Crime Watch to curb crime. Dr. Amy Price, and Jenny Blanchard, a respiratory therapist, organized the group with the help of members of the Walnut Creek Crime Watch.

Mayor Devone Jones expressed disappointment that the murder was unsolved, but he wouldn't call it a setback for the community.

"It's not really a setback because we're still working on it," Jones said. "It's a little confusing. I was hoping we could have went on and settled it by now. Sometimes these things take a little time to solve, but I feel confident we're going to solve it."

Anyone with information about Holt's murder is asked to call Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers at 735-2255. Callers may remain anonymous and could receive up to $1,000 cash if their information leads to a felony arrest.